Page 51 of California Waves

The next item on their agenda for the day was a bike ride down 17-Mile Drive. Of course, he had his own bike, and she had hers, so they donned helmets and headed out. It started out as a tranquil ride, as she pointed out to him some of the fanciest houses, more than one of which she’d sold, the Instagram-famous Lone Cypress, and the beauty of the coastline and forest. She loved showing off the gorgeous scenery and breathing in the sea-tinged air. But then she noticed he was riding a little faster than she was, and she was falling behind.

It sparked her competitive streak, so she picked up the pace until she was ahead of him. If Hersch was going to treat this like training, she would show him what she was made of. Her legs began to burn, and before she knew it, there were two very competitive people racing neck and neck, pretty much flying down the quiet road. They continued side by side, and soon the need to beat him rolled back to reveal an exhilaration that she’d found a man who could match her both physically and competitively. She was pretty sure he wouldn’t pout if she won their race and then tried her level best to prove her point. However, he wasn’t letting her win, no way. They reached the end of the drive, and by the imaginary finish line, they were both sweating profusely, their chests heaving with effort.

He turned and grinned at her. “That was amazing.”

She laughed. “It was. I think you won by half a wheel.”

He took a mock bow, and she laughed again. She was enjoying getting to know his more goofy, less serious side.

“I’ll get you next time,” she said, hoping beyond hope that there would be many more “next times” to come.

Hersch wiped sweat from his chin.

She asked, “Are you up for a hike? There are some amazing views I’d love to show you.”

He raised his brows. “You’re insatiable. Boogie boarding, cycling, and now hiking?”

“For some reason, I’m full of energy.” It was true. Right now, she felt like she had enough energy to hike Mount Everest.

“Okay,” he said. “If I ever get my breath back.”

They both rehydrated when they returned to the car, and then she drove them to Garland Ranch Regional Park. It was a warm day, and she was in skimpy shorts and a sports bra under a wicking T-shirt that was already wet from the sweat of their ride. He was likewise casually dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. However, Hersch being Hersch, he also carried a full backpack. When she quizzed him on what was in it, he told her water, snacks, medical supplies in case either of them had an accident, and a GPS device in case their phones stopped working.

Her jaw almost dropped. “You sure like to be prepared.”

“Fail to prepare, prepare to fail,” he said.

She carried a small bottle of water and a baseball cap to shield her face from the sun.

They set off, and as in the bike race, they were soon going at a pretty fair clip. They started by Carmel River, where the path was shaded by sycamore trees, then the trail veered sharply up, and they kept their fast pace.

She loved it. She loved not having to hold back or slow down. Even when she hiked with her sister or brothers, she often felt as though she was pacing herself, but not with Hersch. She could push as hard as she wanted, and he was right there with her.

They left the shade behind, and the sun grew increasingly warm. Soon, she’d gone through her bottle of water and was grateful when he handed her a fresh one from his pack. When the heat was too much, she simply pulled off her shirt, hiking in nothing but her sports bra and tiny shorts, and then he followed suit, stripping off his shirt so he was bare-chested. She had to stop glancing his way, because it made her mouth even drier, and all she wanted to do was stop and take him right here and right now.

They eventually reached the top of the trail, and munched apples he’d brought along.

When they got back, she took him to the farmers’ market, and they both ordered three kinds of juice and then headed to the taco stand. “Everything tastes so much better when you’ve worked up an appetite,” he said.

They found a grassy area and sat in the shade. He leaned against a tree trunk and tucked her under his arm so her head was on his chest. As she drank fresh juice and snacked on enchiladas, she wondered if she’d ever been this happy.

Hersch said, “I don’t want this day to end. Do you have plans tonight?”

Mila toyed with a taco chip, buying herself a little time to think about what she was going to say next. Then, with both Erin’s and Tessa’s words about trust ringing in her memory, she said, “Arch and Tessa’s real wedding is Saturday, two days from now. So far, it doesn’t seem like any paps have gotten wind of it, but we have to be so careful. We’re planning a family barbecue tonight to have some family time before the big day. Dad loves to get behind a grill and throw together hot dogs and hamburgers, and Mom makes her famous potato salad. It’s traditional, but it means a lot to us.”

“That sounds nice,” he said, just a tad wistfully.

She turned to him. If she was honest with herself, she’d been thinking about this moment all day. She wanted to invite him to the Davenport home tonight and let him be part of their family tradition. But it was a big step. A huge step. She flashed back to him on the boogie board this morning. He and the water were a maybe, but she could see that maybe was making its way to yes. In the same way, her maybe about him was slowly but surely turning into a yes.

Finally, she said, “Would you like to come?”

He looked delighted with the invitation. “I’d love to. What can I bring?”

“Nothing. Dad will already have the beer and soft drinks on ice, and he’ll have already bought the food.”

He looked very serious. “Does your dad barbecue over real coals?”

“Yeah. I told you, it’s not fancy.”

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